smoke

[cantdrv55]

Noticed white smoke out of my wife's '87 Carrera as she drove away. It was very chilly and moist outside so I chalked it up to that. However, when I checked the oil last weekend, I noticed it was about a quart low again. Since I started logging the oil consumption, I figured out the car burns about 1 quart per 550 to 600 miles. The car now has 109,000 miles and at the time of PPI, the PO said it burns at a rate of 600 to 800 miles. The plugs looked good then but since it's burning more oil now, I bet they'll be pretty gunky. My question is, if I hold off a top end job, for say 5000 miles, what harm will this bring? Will I need an entire overhaul due to this or will a top end still suffice? BTW, I notice no degradation in the car's performance since I purchased it.

[aigel]

Oil burning = blue smoke
Running rich = black / dark brown smoke
And for the water cooled heaps: Water 'burning'= white smoke and antifreeze stink.
Other reasons for white smoke: Condensation in exhaust. Will clear up fairly quickly. You should follow your wife for 3 miles and see ...

So, unless you see BLUE smoke, you don't see oil burn.

Don't go with the PO's estimate on oil consumption. Actually take his numbers and multiply them by two. Only go by what you measured before and now. Of course the PO understated.

You can't really hurt anything by delaying a valve guide rebuild, as far as I know. There should be plenty of life left in your engine without tearing it apart. I'd wait for 150k and then do a complete overhaul.

One quart per 1k miles is normal, so twice that isn't out of the ordinary. Try a bit thicker oil if you don't use 20w50 yet. I wouldn't worry.

HTH, George

[cantdrv55]

Thanks for the advice George. I will follow her for a few miles to determine the color of smoke. I use 20W50 now too.

Chris